Personation of a juror is a common law offence in England and Wales, where a person impersonates a juror in a civil or criminal trial. [1] [2] As a common law offence it is punishable by unlimited imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. [3] Personation of a juror also constitutes a contempt of court. [4]
There is no requirement to prove that the defendant had any corrupt motive or a specific intention to deceive other than the fact that they entered the jury-box and took the oath in someone else's name, and it is no defence that they did not know what they did to be wrong. [1] [2] If a juror has been personated, the trial in which he sat can be voided. [1] [5] [6]